The Rosamond Gifford Zoo in Syracuse, New York, recently welcomed three of its littlest residents.
Three Humboldt penguins were born during January and introduced to the public for the first time Wednesday.
They increase the zoo’s successful Humboldt penguin breeding program to 42.
Penguin number 41 was born on Jan. 17 and was named “Lucia” by County Executive Joanie Mahoney after zoo staff determined that the chick was female.
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Penguins number 40 and 42 were born on Jan. 9 and 21 respectively and have yet to be named.
The zoo hopes their names will be sourced from creative minds around the world when they hold a naming contest once the birds’ genders are determined.
“We’ve gotten hundreds of names from school groups to individuals in Argentina and Australia and Europe,” zoo director Ted Fox told CNY Central. “It’s always a fun contest.”
Humboldt penguins are an endangered species, with an estimated 10,000 to 12,000 living in the wild.
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